System for delivering refrigerated air within a vehicle

Abstract

A system for refrigerating ambient air flowing into a moving racing vehicle and delivering it to the passenger compartment, such as through the driver seat and/or other locations within the cockpit to mitigate the effects of excessive heat. The system includes a coolant container unit, such an insulated cooler having inflow and outflow ports connected to a delivery conduit system, that receives fresh air from the vehicle's air intake system and brings it in contact with a coolant material, such as a block or pellets of dry ice (CO 2 ), thus refrigerating the air for distribution via the delivery conduit system to a desired location within the cockpit of the vehicle. In one embodiment, the conduit tubing of the refrigerated air delivery system includes a series of reductions in diameter to help accelerate the airflow as it enters the driver seat, where it is directed through a series of ports or jets that blow the refrigerated air against the driver in selected locations.

1 . A system for delivering refrigerated air to the passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising: 
 a coolant container unit adapted to hold a coolant material therewithin, the coolant container unit including at least one inflow port, and at least one outflow port; the cooler container unit being connectable to an air intake system configured for directing ambient air flow into the coolant container unit via the at least one inflow port;    a delivery conduit system connectable to the at least one outflow port;    wherein the refrigerated air delivery system is configured to distribute refrigerated air from the coolant container unit via the delivery conduit system to one or more locations within the passenger compartment of the vehicle while the vehicle is in motion, without reliance on an external power source to accelerate air flow.    
   
   
       2 . The refrigerated air delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the delivery conduit system is connected to a driver seat.  
   
   
       3 . The refrigerated air delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the refrigerated air delivery system comprises a plurality of air distribution ports located within the driver seat, the plurality of air distribution ports communicating with the delivery conduit system.  
   
   
       4 . The refrigerated air delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit system comprises tubing of decreasing diameters configured to create a Venturi effect for accelerating airflow therewithin.  
   
   
       5 . The refrigerated air delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the coolant material comprises dry ice.  
   
   
       6 . The refrigerated air delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured such that the temperature range of the refrigerated air delivered to the passenger compartment may reach approximately 25-35° F.  
   
   
       7 . The refrigerated air delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the inflow and outflow ports of the coolant container unit are configured such that the movement of airflow therethrough is gravity assisted.  
   
   
       8 . The refrigerated air delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the delivery conduit system is configured to direct refrigerated air to a first location and a second location within the passenger compartment of the vehicle.  
   
   
       9 . The refrigerated air delivery system of  claim 8 , wherein the delivery conduit system is configured such that the driver of the vehicle can selectively direct or restrict the refrigerated air to the first and/or second location.  
   
   
       10 . The refrigerated air delivery system of  claim 8  wherein the refrigerated air is distributed sequentially to the first location, then the second location.  
   
   
       11 . The refrigerated air delivery system of  claim 8 , wherein the first location comprises a driver seat and the second location includes electrical components.  
   
   
       12 . The refrigerated air delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the first location includes electrical components.  
   
   
       13 . The refrigerated air delivery system of  claim 2 , wherein the driver seat include a at least one channel therewithin configured for circulation of the refrigerated airflow such that the temperature of the driver seat is lowered.  
   
   
       14 . A system for delivering refrigerated air to the driver of a vehicle, comprising: 
 a coolant container unit adapted to hold a coolant material within, the coolant container comprising at least one inflow port, and at least one outflow port; the cooler container unit being connectable to an air intake system configured for directing ambient air flow into the coolant container unit via the at least one inflow port;    a delivery conduit system connectable to the at least one outflow port;    a driver seat connectable to the delivery conduit system, wherein the refrigerated air delivery system is configured to distribute refrigerated air from the coolant container unit to the driver while the vehicle is in motion, without reliance on an external power source.    
   
   
       15 . The refrigerated air delivery system of  claim 14 , wherein the refrigerated air delivery system comprises a plurality of air distribution ports located about the driver seat, the plurality of air distribution ports communicating with the delivery conduit system.  
   
   
       16 . The refrigerated air delivery system of  claim 14 , wherein the conduit system comprises tubing of decreasing diameters configured to create a Venturi effect for accelerating airflow therewithin.  
   
   
       17 . The refrigerated air delivery system of  claim 14 , wherein the coolant material comprises dry ice.  
   
   
       18 . The refrigerated air delivery system of  claim 14 , wherein the system is configured such that the temperature range of the refrigerated air delivered to the driver may reach approximately 25-35° F.  
   
   
       19 . The refrigerated air delivery system of  claim 14 , wherein the delivery conduit system directs air to a plurality of air distribution ports located about the driver seat, the driver seat including a seat back portion and a seat bottom portion, with selected ones of the plurality of air distribution ports being located about the seat back portion and selected ones of the plurality of air distribution ports being located about the seat bottom portion.  
   
   
       20 . A system for delivering refrigerated air to the driver of a racing vehicle, comprising: 
 a driver seat including a plurality of air distribution ports located about the upper surface of the driver seat, the plurality of air distribution ports configured to direct refrigerated air against the driver while the driver is operating the racing vehicle;    a delivery conduit system connectable to a coolant container unit adapted to maintain a coolant material located therewithin, the delivery conduit system connected to the plurality of air distribution ports to supply the refrigerated air distributed therethrough, the delivery conduit system further including a control system configured to at least one of selectively occlude, reduce, and redirect airflow therethrough;    and wherein the system for delivering refrigerated air is connectable to an intake vent configured for receiving ambient air that is convertable to refrigerated air within the coolant container unit by contact with the coolant material and directed to the driver seat, the propulsion of the refrigerated air through the delivery conduit system being at least substantially dependent on forward motion of the racing vehicle.